Chapter II: The Varieties of the Dog (3)

is a beautiful animal. He is more delicately framed than the English breed; the ears are also more pendulous, and feathered almost as much as those of a King Charles's spaniel. Notwithstanding, however, his apparent slenderness and delicacy, he yields not in courage, and scarcely in strength, to the British dog. There are few kennels in which he is found in which he is not the master.

In his native country, he is not only used for hunting the hare, but the antelope, the wild ass, and even the boar. The antelope is speedier than the greyhound: therefore the hawk is given to him as an ally. The antelope is no sooner started than the hawk is cast off, who, fluttering before the head of the deer, and sometimes darting his talons into his head, disconcerts him, and enables the greyhound speedily to overtake and master him. The chase, however, in which the Persians chiefly delight, and for which these greyhounds are mostly valued, is that of the 'ghoo-khan', or wild ass. This animal inhabits the mountainous districts of Persia. He is swift, ferocious, and of great endurance, which, together with the nature of the ground, renders this sport exceedingly dangerous. The hunter scarcely gives the animal a fair chance, for relays of greyhounds are placed at various distances in the surrounding country; so that, when those by which the animal is first started are tired, there are others to continue the chase. Such, however, is the speed and endurance of the ghoo-khan, that it is seldom fairly run down by the greyhounds, its death being usually achieved by the rifle of some horseman. The Persians evince great skill and courage in this dangerous sport, galloping at full speed, rifle in hand, up and down the most precipitous hills, and across ravines and mountain streams, that might well daunt the boldest rider. [22]

The Persian greyhound, carried to Hindoostan, is not always to be depended upon; but, it is said, is apt to console itself by hunting its own master, or any one else, when the game proves too fleet or escapes into the cover.

THE ITALIAN GREYHOUND

possesses all the symmetry of the English or Persian one, on a small scale. So far as beauty can recommend it, and, generally speaking, good nature, it is deservedly a favourite in the drawingroom; but, like the large greyhound, it is inferior in intelligence. It has no strong individual attachment, but changes it with singular facility. It is not, however, seen to advantage in its petted and degraded state, but has occasionally proved a not unsuccessful courser of the rabbit and the hare, and exhibited no small share of speed and perseverance. In a country, however, the greater part of which is infested with wolves, it cannot be of much service, but exposed to unnecessary danger. It is bred along the coasts of Italy, principally for the purpose of sale to foreigners.

In order to acquire more perfect beauty of form, and more activity also, the English greyhound has received one cross from the Italian, and with decided advantage. The speed and the beauty have been evidently increased, and the courage and stoutness have not been diminished.

It has been said that Frederick the Great of Prussia was very fond of a small Italian greyhound, and used to carry it about with him under his cloak. During the seven years' war, he was pursued by a party of Austrian dragoons, and compelled to take shelter, with his favourite, under the dry arch of a bridge. Had the little animal, that was naturally ill-tempered and noisy, once barked, the monarch would have been taken prisoner, and the fate of the campaign and of Prussia decided; but it lay perfectly still, and clung close to its master, as if conscious of their mutual danger. When it died, it was buried in the gardens of the palace at Berlin, and a suitable inscription placed over its grave.

[Footnote 1: 'Annals of Sporting', vol. vi. p. 99.]

[Footnote 2: The superstition of the Arabians and Turks with regard to dogs is somewhat singular: neither have they much affection for these animals, or suffer them to be in or near the camp, except to guard it in the night. They have, however, some charity for the females that have whelps. As for other dogs, they feed them well, and give them good words, but never touch them nor go near them, because dogs are regarded as unclean animals. They particularly drive them away in wet weather; for, if one drop of water from a dog should fall on their raiment, their devotion would be interrupted and useless. They who are fond of hunting make their religion subservient to their pleasure, and say that greyhounds and setters are excepted from the general rule, because when not running these dogs are tied up where nothing unclean can reach them, and they are never suffered to eat any thing unclean. Their opinion is the same with regard to small dogs, which are kept with great care, and no one willingly injures a dog, or, if he should injure purposely, or destroy one of them, the law would punish him. Chevalier Darvieux's 'Travels in Arabia Deserta', 1718, p. 155.]

[Footnote 3: 'Heber's Narrative', p. 500.]

[Footnote 4: 'Histoire du Chien', par Elzear Blaze, p. 54.]

[Footnote 5: 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society', Part I. 833.]

[Footnote 6: Williamson's 'Oriental Field Sports']

[Footnote 7: Poiret, in his 'Travels in Barbary' asserts that

"the dog loses in the East a great part of those good qualities that
make him the friend of man. He is no longer a faithful domesticated
animal, faithfully attached to his master, and ever ready to defend
him even at the expense of his own life. He is cruel and
blood-thirsty, his look is savage, and his appearance revolting;
carrion, filth, anything is good enough for him if he can but appease
his hunger. They seldom bite one another, but they unite against a
stranger who approaches the Arab tents, and would tear him to pieces
if he did not seek his safety in flight."
Vol. i. p. 353.

Denon, when in the city of Alexandria, in Egypt, says,

"I have no longer recognised the dog, that friend of man, the attached
and faithful companion--the lively and honest courtier. He is here a
gloomy egotist, and cut off from all human intercourse without being
the less a slave. He does not know him whose house he protects, and
devours his corpse without repugnance."
Travels in Lower Egypt, p. 32.]

[Footnote 8: 'Histoire du Chien', p. 200. The Voyage of Dumont d'Urville, vol. ii. p.474.]

[Footnote 9: Greyhound.]

[Footnote 10: Overcast, or overrun.]

[Footnote 11: Ovid, 'Metamorph.', lib. i. v. 353.]

[Footnote 12: A singular story is told of Richard II, and one of these dogs. It is given in the language of Froissart.

"A grayhounde called Mithe, who always wayted upon the kynge, and
would knowe no man els. For when so ever the kynge did ryde, he that
kept the grayhounde dyd lette him lose, and he wolde streyght runne to
the kynge and faune uppon hym, and leape with his fore fete uppon the
kynge's shoulders. And, as the kynge and the Erle of Derby talked
togyder in the courte, the grayhounde who was wonte to leape uppon the
kynge, left the kynge and came to the Erle of Derby, Duke of
Lancastre; and made to him the same friendly continuance and chere as
he was wonte to do to the kynge. The duke, who knewe not the
grayhounde, demanded of the kynge what the grayhounde wolde do?
'Cousin,' qoud the kynge, 'it is a greate goode token to you, and an
evyl signe to me.' 'How knowe you that?' quod the duke. 'I knowe it
well,' quod the kynge. 'The grayhounde acknowledgeth you here this
daye as Kynge of England, as ye shall be, and I shal be deposed; the
grayhounde hath this knowledge naturally: therefore take hyme to you,
he wyll followe you and forsake me.' The duke understood well those
words, and cheryshed the grayhounde, who would never after followe
kynge Richarde, but followed the duke of Lancastre."]

[Footnote 13: 'Thacker on Sporting'.]

[Footnote 14: The writer of this work had a brace of greyhounds as arrant thieves as ever lived. They would now and then steal into the cooking-room belonging to the kennel, lift the lid from the boiler, and, if any portion of the joint or piece of meat projected above the water, suddenly seize it, and before there was time for them to feel much of its heat, contrive to whirl it on the floor, and eat it at their leisure as it got cold. In order to prevent this, the top of the boiler was secured by an iron rod passing under its handle of the boiler on each side; but not many days passed ere they discovered that they could gnaw the cords asunder, and displace the rod, and fish out the meat as before. Small chains were then substituted for the cords, and the meat was cooked in safety for nearly a week, when they found that, by rearing themselves on their hind legs, and applying their united strength towards the top of the boiler they could lift it out of its bed and roll it along the floor, and so get at the broth, although the meat was out of their reach. The man who looked after them expressed himself heartily glad when they were gone; for, he said, he was often afraid to go into the kennel, and was sure they were devils, and not dogs.]

[Footnote 15: Scott's 'Sportsman's Repository', p. 97.]

[Footnote 16: Blaine's 'Encyclopedia of Sporting'.]

[Footnote 17: For a set of laws for Coursing Matches. see Appendix.]

[Footnote 18: 'Sportsman', vol. xi. p. 314]

[Footnote 19: Bell's 'British Quadrupeds', p. 241.]

[Footnote 20: Tickell's 'Miscellanies']

[Footnote 21: 'Sporting Mag.' 1837, p. 156.]

[Footnote 22: 'New Sports. Mag.' xiii. 124.]

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